Perrierophytum madagascariense (Baker) M.M. Hanes & Callm.

Hanes, Margaret M., Mashburn, Brock & Callmander, Martin W., 2022, Transfer of the endemic Malagasy species of Kosteletzkya to Hibiscus and Perrierophytum (Malvaceae), Candollea 77 (2), pp. 161-171 : 166

Perrierophytum madagascariense (Baker) M.M. Hanes & Callm. , comb. nov.

Kosteletzkya madagascariensis Baker in J. Bot. 20: 46. 1882.

Holotypus: MADAGASCAR: “in a wooded valley in West Betsileo”, VII.1880, fl. & fr., Baron 121 (2-part specimen: K000240497 , K000240498 ]!; iso-: G [ G00014376 ]!, P [ P00037096 ]!) .

Distribution and ecology. – Perrierophytum madagascariense is known from a single collection in “Betsileo-land”. This locality refers to the Malagasy tribe that inhabits the collection area and can be understood as somewhere in either the Amoron’i Mania or Haute Matsiatra regions, that the Betsileo people traditionally inhabited.

Conservation status. – Perrierophytum madagascariense is known only from a single location, where it was collected in 1880. Relatively few fragments of native vegetation remain on the highlands in the Betsileo region of Madagascar, and the absence of more recent collections indicates that this species is not common. It is reasonable to infer that the habitat in which the species was originally collected has largely disappeared, likely through deforestation, overgrazing, or fire, and would suggest that P. madagascariense could be extinct. Yet, in the absence of exhaustive surveys of the region, including a targeted search for the species, such an assessment is premature. Even if the species was found in a remaining habitat fragment or in a protected area in the Betsileo region, the EOO would likely still be under 100 km ², with a single location likely to still be threatened by the factors mentioned above. In addition, continued decline in extent and quality of habitat would be inferred. Therefore we recommend that P. madagascariense be assessed as “Critically Endangered” [CR B1ab(iii)].

Notes. – Perrierophytum madagascariense can be differentiated from other species by its sparsely pubescent leaves (vs. densely pubescent), and relatively small flowers ( Table 1 ).